1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a segment indication device containing plural segments to be selectively activated to indicate a character pattern, and more particularly to such segment indication device adapted for use in the finder of a camera for indicating an exposure control mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A numeral indicating device, with seven segments for indicating numerals 0 to 9, is already well known and has been employed, in the field of photographic cameras, for indicating the state of exposure or the exposure control mode. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,254 discloses a camera provided with an indicating system utilizing such indicating devices for indicating letters or symbols for identifying various information for photographing. In said system a letter "F" indicating a lens aperture value or a letter "S" indicating a shutter speed is indicated by selective activation of the segments of said indicating device.
The above-mentioned prior art technology proposes a method of utilizing an ordinary indicating device, which is used for indicating numerals, also for indicating letters, thereby enabling identification of the indicated information. However, in recent cameras, particularly those with plural exposure control modes, it is required to indicate a selected mode also in the finder. For example, it is required to indicate a letter "A" indicating aperture-priority automatic exposure control mode, "S" indicating shutter-speed priority automatic exposure control mode, or "P" indicating programmed automatic exposure control mode.
In conventional cameras, these letters are indicated by respective indicating devices which are arranged in a mode display position in the viewing field of the finder. There is consequently required a large space for indicating various exposure control modes, thus leading to a larger dimension of the entire apparatus and involving inconvenience in use since the point of sight has to be moved relatively widely in order to cover said mode display position in the finder.
Also in case of indicating letters "A", "S", "P" etc., with the conventional 7-segment pattern, the numeral "5" for example cannot be distinguished from the letter "S".